Other conditions with symptoms similar to acute bronchitis
Many conditions cause symptoms similar to acute bronchitis. Some of those conditions include:
- Pneumonia, a potentially serious infection of the lungs. Pneumonia can make it hard to breathe.
- Asthma, a long-term (chronic) disease of the airways of the lungs. Symptoms include periodic episodes of difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing.
- Allergies, which are an overreaction of the immune system to usually harmless substances. Symptoms include cough and difficulty breathing. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is a common allergy.
- Exposure to chemicals at work (occupational exposure).
- Cold, influenza, or other upper respiratory infections.
- Sinusitis, an infection of the mucous membranes that line the inside of the nose and facial sinuses. Symptoms include pain and a chronic cough that produces mucus.
- Mild heart failure. In heart failure, your heart is not able to pump blood effectively. Shortness of breath is one of the symptoms.
- Bronchiolitis (in young children), an inflammation of the small air passages (bronchioles) in the lungs. Symptoms include difficulty breathing and cough.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the abnormal backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus. This can cause cough and chest discomfort.
- Lung cancer. Symptoms include cough and shortness of breath.
| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS | Last Updated: July 23, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Robert L. Cowie, MB, FCP(SA), MD, MSc, MFOM - Pulmonology | |
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